DC posted up their October solicits for their “Dark” line. Oddly enough, none of them seem Halloween themed.
Here they are with some commentary:
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #2
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by RYAN SOOK
On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Madame Xanadu continues guiding the world’s darkest heroes in their struggle against evil. But will John Constantine, Zatanna, Shade the Changing Man and the others be able to join forces in time to defeat the dangerous Enchantress before she destroys the world as we know it?
Skitch Commentary:Mikel Janin actually dropped me a nice line last time I talked about Justice League Dark, so I am biased towards this book now. That goes for the rest of you at DC, if you want favorable commentary, swing by and check out the great coverage we’ve been giving DC Comics Relaunch.
All right, enough begging for attention, on to the commentary. Justice League Dark really has the potential to be a fun, odd little book, I am definitely curious about it. I also wonder if it has any connection to the Justice League or are they just capitalizing on the name (I can’t blame them, I would do the same thing).
SWAMP THING #2
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Alec Holland thought he knew the history of the Swamp Thing – but he was wrong. The creature’s roots run deeper than he knows, and the Parliament of Trees intends to make him understand the responsibility he wants so desperately to avoid! With this issue, the mythology of the Swamp Thing branches out in ways you never saw coming – don’t miss it!
Skitch Commentary:Swamp Thing branches out? Groan. All teasing aside, this seems like a great direction to take Swamp Thing, a character most people don’t have much of a connection with these days. I was surprised that DC gave him such top billing in Brightest Day, and it looks like their plans for the character are far from over.
Intentional fan boy baiting: I bet Marvel launches a new Man Thing series if Swamp Thing proves to be a success.
FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #2
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
It’s all-out war as Frankenstein and his new field team, The Creature Commandos, uncover an age-old conspiracy at the heart of Bone Lake – one that will see them suit up as the world’s first “Necronauts,” traveling between worlds and through “dead space,” toward the mysterious Monster Planet. Meanwhile, the horrifying origins of the Commandos are revealed – and the S.O.M.B.I.E. makes its first appearance!
Skitch Commentary: S.O.M.B.I.E.? Creature Commandos? Really? Some odd name choices there.
I actually have not gotten around to reading the Frankenstein issue of Flashpoint, but I really enjoyed the character in Seven Soldiers. I still think this series sounds quite a bit like the bad Howling Commandos series Marvel tried a few years ago, just with much better ideas and writing.
I do have to say that is some great cover art, and the solicits have really helped convince me to check this one out.
I, VAMPIRE #2
Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV
Art by ANDREA SORRENTINO
Cover by JENNY FRISON
On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
True love becomes divine hatred between the Queen of Blood and Andrew, as her vampires begin their attacks across the country. Their past behind them, they find themselves ready to battle to the death… If those feelings really are all gone. Surrounded by swarms of bloodthirsty vamps, Andrew must confront his immortal beloved in a blood-soaked battle he can’t win.
Skitch Commentary:I know that Twilight and True Blood and Vampire Diaries are popular, so this series was probably inevitable. That said, I honestly am not sure it’s gonna be able to find an audience without a major marketing push geared towards female readers who don’t normally read comics. Crossgen was able to have some success with Meridian that way, so hopefully DC will do the same thing.
I honestly don’t see anything really “wrong” with this series, I am just not sure it can appeal to your typical mainstream DC reader, and putting it as part of the “New 52” could be risky without some marketing muscle behind it.
DEMON KNIGHTS #2
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The siege that will reverberate through history to the present-day DCU begins as the Demon Etrigan and his unlikely lover, Madame Xanadu, face the Horde! What five (mostly) noble souls would be crazy enough to join them? The cover gives but a hint, and the point could well be moot by the time this issue’s done. For the Horde is armed with the magic of Mordru – including some decidedly different dragons!
Skitch Commentary:Mordru? As in Legion’s Mordru? Writeen by Paul Cornell? Sign me up!! And I wanna know what they mean by “decidedly different dragons”…other than a great lot of alliteration.
Wait…did this solicit say Etrigan and Xanadu are getting freaky? That is just disturbing on so many levels.
ANIMAL MAN #2
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Maxine’s new abilities continue to terrify Ellen and Buddy Baker, and things take a turn for the worse as Buddy begins a startling transformation of his own that will lead him on a journey into the heart of The Red. Meanwhile, The Hunters Three arrive on Earth and set their sights on the Baker family. The Hunt is on as DC’s most surprising new series continues to take ANIMAL MAN in shocking new directions.
Skitch Commentary: This series is last for puely selfish reasons. Animal Man is one of the books I requested to review on a regular basis once DC Relaunch starts in September. I actually haven’t read much with him before, but the idea of a legacy character set in a Darker DC universe really has a lot of appeal to me.
This book sounds like it’s gonna have a lot of twists to it, and I always love that kind of thing. Really looking forward to this one!
